Canna

Canna (also known as Indian shot plant) is a beauty with exotic tendencies. Amongst large green leaves which are comparable to those of the banana plant, grow pointed buds which resemble lilies when they open. The colours are a fiesta in their own right, in red, orange and yellow. There are also varieties with pastel-coloured flowers and others that are worth having simply for the gorgeous patterns on their petals. Canna flowers from June until the first night frost.

Giants and dwarves

Canna comes from Latin America and the Caribbean, and is a popular bedding plant in both tropical and subtropical regions. In southern Europe it’s often used to brighten up boulevards and parks. Canna is a tuberous plant that stores moisture in its rhizomes and is therefore pretty good at coping with warm weather. There are small, compact varieties, but there are also Cannas that can reach a height of 3m.

Canna trivia

Kanna is Greek for ‘reed’.

Canna is a member of the same plant family as bananas and ginger.

The red and black seeds are hard and have been used as beads for centuries.

In Creole the plant is also called 'toolima', derived from the French 'tous les mois' because Canna flowers virtually all year-round in warm regions.

The fibres of the stems and leaves are used as a raw material for paper and textiles.

Canna is a traditional Father’s Day present in Thailand.

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Caring for the Canna

Canna prefers moisture-retaining soil that is rich in humus.

Place the plant in a sunny, sheltered spot and water it generously on hot days.

Some plant food once a month encourages growth.

Cannas can get pretty big: give them a large pot or at least 60cm space to grow.